Spartans dominate early but Penn State fights back, igniting a fierce battle on the court. Can Michigan State maintain their advantage?
Nothing says college basketball season quite like a Saturday afternoon with snow falling outside, a fireplace humming, and the clock striking noon just as the ball tips. For the second straight week, Michigan State fans were treated to the beauty of high‑noon basketball as the Spartans headed to University Park, Pennsylvania, for their first true road test of the season against Penn State.
Battle‑tested already, Michigan State entered the game having faced four ranked opponents, while the Nittany Lions looked to defend a Bryce Jordan Center court where they had won their first six home games. From the opening tip, it was clear this one would be a grind.
Penn State won the tip and got the game underway, but it was Michigan State’s defense that immediately set the tone. Through the opening two minutes, the Spartans’ sticky, physical defense allowed Penn State no clean looks, while MSU converted on the other end with early baskets from Jaxon Kohler and Divine Ugochukwu.
Ugochukwu, making his first start, looked comfortable right away. The sophomore knocked down a corner two and followed it up by burying a three, giving Spartan fans an early glimpse of a dependable two‑guard presence. Kohler added a highlight of his own, scoring on a dunk with mere milliseconds remaining on the shot clock.
Penn State, however, showed early signs of resilience. The Nittany Lions began winning the battle on the boards and pushing in transition, knocking down shots to trim the deficit to 9–7. Michigan State center Carson Cooper responded in emphatic fashion, catching a transition pass and soaring through the air for a dunk that nearly defied gravity for a big man — channeling his inner Coen Carr.
Penn State had a chance to grab its first lead on a three that rattled around the rim before popping out. On the ensuing possession, the game took a physical turn when Cooper absorbed an unnecessary elbow to the midsection. After review, the play was ruled a flagrant one on Penn State’s Reed, resulting in two free throws for Michigan State. Cooper stayed in the game and calmly knocked down both.
At the 14:37 mark, Michigan State led 11–8.
The Spartans briefly seized momentum as Penn State went cold. Kur Teng checked in and immediately made an impact, drilling a three to extend the lead to nine. Cam Ward also entered but quickly picked up two fouls and returned to the bench.
Penn State finally broke a five‑minute scoring drought with a three, while Michigan State began to show cracks with turnovers creeping into their offense. Jordan Scott provided a spark defensively, swiping the ball away and later recording a huge block to halt a Penn State possession.
At 11:11, Michigan State led 17–11.
The tide began to turn shortly after. Jeremy Fears Jr. missed a three, Penn State capitalized, and without warning the Nittany Lions went on a 7–0 run to pull within two. Trey Fort briefly stopped the bleeding with a three, but consistency eluded him as he missed several shots in succession.
With 8:45 remaining, Penn State finally completed its comeback, tying the game at 20–20. Fort missed again, and the Nittany Lions surged ahead with a transition layup for their first lead of the afternoon. Fears answered with a tough drive into the paint, but Penn State soon took control.
Michigan State went ice cold, struggling to score and protect the ball. Penn State capitalized on Spartan mistakes, knocking down a three and then intercepting a pass from Fears. In an effort to prevent an uncontested dunk, Fears committed a hard foul that was ruled a flagrant.
At the 7:00 mark, Penn State led 27–22.
Out of the break, the Nittany Lions converted both flagrant free throws and followed with another basket to push the lead to nine. Kohler responded by driving hard to the rim and banking one in, but MSU’s early dominance had fully evaporated.
Kur Teng helped pull the Spartans back within striking distance with another three, making it 31–27 with 3:59 remaining. Penn State answered with a triple of its own, but Michigan State refused to fold, scoring back‑to‑back baskets to trim the deficit to three.
A wasted possession and turnover stalled MSU’s momentum, though Penn State’s shooting cooled late in the half. Kohler was gifted an easy dunk, bringing the Spartans within one. After the teams traded threes — including one from freshman Jordan Scott — Penn State closed the half with the final basket.
At the break, Penn State held a three‑point advantage.
Kohler led Michigan State at halftime with 10 points and eight rebounds, flirting with a double‑double. Kur Teng provided six points off the bench, while Ugochukwu added five in his first start. Rebounding was even at 16 apiece, but turnovers told the story: Michigan State’s eight giveaways doubled Penn State’s total.
Penn State entered the game ranked third nationally in ball security, averaging just 8.8 turnovers per game. If the Spartans want to regain control in the second half, protecting the basketball will be essential.